Northbridge Plaza raid: Police hunt for two people

The moment the siege broke on live television

As the siege in Sydney's CBD stretches on into the night, here is the very first moment Australians found out about the unfolding disaster.

Preened advertorial presenters go through their scripts spruiking everything from steam cleaners to food processors as teams of hairdressers and make-up artists get them "camera-ready". Producers frantically herd into position "talent", which often includes me, ranging from astrologers and technology geeks to "where are they now" rock stars and royal family "experts".

And every day The Morning Show hosts, long-standing journalist Kylie Gillies and former game-show host Larry Emdur, smile their way through 2½ hours of television which combines a bit of vaudeville with regular news updates, show biz and a plethora of advertorials.

But on Monday morning, those brilliant white smiles were missing when Gillies and Emdur returned to the screen following a live performance from X Factor winner Marlisa.

Ashen-faced and clearly agitated by what was happening outside their glass-walled studio on Martin Place, Gillies and Emdur found themselves reporting on what is likely to become one of the biggest stories of their media careers as tactical response forces swarmed the plaza, taking up ominous positions just outside their glass "fishbowl" as hostages took their grim stances around the windows of the Lindt cafe.

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Gillies explained: "Marlisa was still singing and due to finish any second. We quickly spoke to our producer, Tim Artlett. He communicates with us through our earpieces and the decision was made to cover this unfolding drama live.

"It crossed my mind whether this is something we should be showing but with social media so prevalent and wild speculation set to override fact, at least what we could do is offer a clear view of what was happening."

"Monday was never meant to be like this": Emdur and Gillies. Photo: Channel Seven

While the rest of the studio was evacuated, it was Gillies and Emdur, along with several senior Seven executives, including news director Rob Rashke, Morning Show executive producer Sarah Stinson and a handful of security guards, who remained in situ as the drama unfolded just metres away.

Moving away from the glass windows on police advice, they handed over transmission to Seven's team in Melbourne as they were ushered to a safe location on an upper level of the Colonial which houses the Seven studios and newsroom, as well as NSW Premier Mike Baird's offices.

Emdur later recounted the experience: "Monday on The Morning Show was never meant to be like this. We had just shown the latest pics of Prince George, Kylie and I had messed around with our upcoming auditions for Dirty Dancing and X Factor winner Marlisa had just started her song.

"Then, in an instant, everything changed.

"Every which way you looked out of our studio police cars and motorbikes were skidding to a halt, police in uniforms, in board shorts and T-shirts, in jeans and sneakers were swarming, wrestling themselves into their kevlar vests as they scrambled around the plaza. Guns drawn, they all had their guns drawn.

"The situation was just minutes old and no one knew what was going on. We watched through our studio window, Marlisa was still singing. Then the sight I will never ever forget, as Kylie pointed across the plaza we saw people standing in the windows of Lindt cafe. Two people per window, each with their hands above their heads pressed firmly against the glass."

Emdur said the experience still felt "surreal", adding that "We do live crosses most days to our reporters around the world covering disasters, war zones, school shootings, sieges, terrorist attacks, but now it was happening metres from us, unfolding in front of our eyes. We could see the hostages' faces, we could see the perpetrator, we could hear police moving through our building and then we could see that flag.

"Both our hearts were breaking as we looked to the faces of the hostages pressed against the windows. It was an absolutely, totally helpless feeling. As police moved in to evacuate the newsroom directly above us, we tried to stay calm and continue to tell the story."

* Andrew Hornery has been a weekly contributor to The Morning Show since its inception in 2007.